Q7 - Smaller Wheels and Winter Tyres

[ratazzi]

Hi there,

Has anyone put smaller wheels on a Q7 with winter tyres (currently on the 21")? If so, can anyone recommend the optimum size?

Thanks

Mark

[ilikejam]

Can't really help with your specific question, but a couple of sites I've always found useful:

https://www.wheel-size.com - search by make, model, year and it'll give you all the wheel and tyre sizes that are fitted to that car by the manufacturer

http://www.willtheyfit.com/ - put in the details of your current setup and what you're thinking of fitting and it'll show you the differences between the two

[Herbs]

19's are the smallest you can go. Do you actually need full winters?

[ratazzi]

Thanks both. I have just bought a Q7 and drive down to the alps a number of times during the season and it just makes driving in the snow a little safer with winter tyres.

Mark

[Herbs]

In that case , it definitely makes sense then!.

Have a look on ebay (I did last month) and a set of wheels with tyres (winter) was between £300 & £500 - would be worth its weight in gold for you if swapping between.

[PhilboSE]

On a first gen Q7 the OE spec tyres were on 18” rims and a considerably narrower width than the summer tyres. I bought an Alutec set with identical specs and used Vredestein Wintracs which worked really well. We used them for the same reason - general usage in winter and a trip or two to the Alps.

The second gen Q7 has OE spec winter wheels and tyres much more similar to the summer tyres - 285/45 R20. OE tyre choice is Pirelli Scorpion Winter AO. I’ve got a set of those, cost just under £2k.

I’d stick to OE wheel & tyre sizes- probably a good thing for insurance.

[Kell]

They're meant to be narrower for serious driving in deeper snow.

Prevents the build up of snow interfering with the calipers and/or suspension.

From the research I did when looking for wheels to fit our Q5, it came up that gen 1 and gen 2 Q7 wheels are different fits (IIRC).

Also, may be teaching you to suck eggs, but if you're buying via ebay be sure to buy tyres with at least 6mm tread - once they hit 4mm they lose their effectiveness - and check the DOT number for the age of the tyre.

I ended up upping my budget as I couldn't find any for the Q5 for a decent price SH - everyone wanted a fortune for tyres that were scrubbed.